Year after year, employees across Western’s 15-state territory support local Science Bowl competitions, as well as the Department of Energy’s National Science Bowl. Volunteers know that they are helping students who might be our next scientific leader.

Our Upper Great Plains Region volunteers are particularly proud of, Mikayla Nelson and her team from Will James Middle School, who met President Barack Obama on Oct. 18, during a ceremony at the White House, to show and explain the NSB team’s winning solar car design.

“Well, we’re going to have to have you work for one of the auto companies to get them to design the next generation of cars. This is a good start,” Obama told her.